links in report are dead

gotbits · August 2019

Am I crazy? I just made a custom report. I tried to click one of the transaction line items to edit it, but nothing happens when I click. Are some types of reports dead like this, or is this a bug?

jacobs · August 2019

Ah, that's the key detail -- you're using Quicken 2017. The New Reports were initially released without drill down capabilities, but drill down was added in version 4.3 back in November 2016. There were some problems with it (I don't remember the details), so they turned the functionality off in a later update. Drilldown capability was later re-added to Quicken Mac, but not until Quicken 2018 version 5.5 in February 2018, as they continued making improvements to the new reports engine.

So it's not so much a bug as a feature which just doesn't exist in Quicken 2017. Sorry to say that to get this capability, you'd need to upgrade to the current version. (Some fixes and features that are introduced in the current version are later dropped into the older Quicken 2017, but my guess is that at this point, they're only fixing critical bugs and not adding more new features to Quicken 2017. They'd likely need to include the entire new reports code to do it, and I just don't see that being likely.)

jacobs · August 2019

@gotbits No, there is only one version of Quicken after 2017: Quicken Subscription (also referred to as Quicken 2018 or Quicken 2019). This is the new model they moved to in fall 2017 for both development and sales. It helps them by keeping all users on a single version of software instead of having to maintain the past three years of products, and, obviously, smoothing out their cash flow. It helps users because we get ongoing regular updates and the developers can devote more time to fixes and enhancements without having to support multiple annual versions. That said, of course value is in the eye of the beholder: some users are happy at the ongoing improvements and support, while others are angry that features they desire haven't yet been implemented.

The issue you asked about here is a small example: it's an enhancement that some people consider critical and worth the ~$35 they pay for a year of the subscription, while others might view it as a nicety they can live without or something they don't care about at all. We all use Quicken differently, and therefore perceive the current state of the program differently. I personally find Quicken worth the ~$35/year for what it does to keep my personal finances organized, and I appreciate the improvements they're making in the program year over year (although I'm unhappy with some things that are still missing); the improvements in reports from Quicken 2017 to now is pretty considerable in my opinion. But you might feel the features that have been added are relatively inconsequential and you're satisfied using the 2017 version for another year.

jacobs · August 2019

Pricing for Quicken varies considerably throughout the year. For people who don't have current subscriptions, the Quicken.com website typically offers discounts of 10% up to 40%. The website drops cookies on your computer, so I've seen it such that I can get two different offers at the same time if I try in two different browsers. Right now, I'm seeing only a 10% discount. My recommendation, if you don't need it urgently, is to wait until you see a discount of at least 25%, and ideally 40%.

Meanwhile, check online sites such as Amazon.com. Amazon's prices also fluctuate quite a bit. What I'm seeing today -- a DVD-ROM version with a one-year subscription for $45 or a download version with a 14-month subscription for $55 -- is not as good a deal as I often see on Amazon. So again, I'd wait and watch.

You should be aware that Quicken always says in the fine print that discounts are for "new" customers only. That means that if you buy directly from Quicken, and allow your account to be set up for auto-renewal, you'll get charged the full price in subsequent years. Even if you see a discounted price on their website, when you log in to purchase, it will detect your existing subscription and the discount will vaporize. However, if you purchase in subsequent years via Amazon or other retailers, Quicken can't prevent you from getting a better price. So if you want to keep your costs as low as possible, the strategy is to shop for the best price you can find in the months before your subscription expires, enter the activation code that comes with your purchase into your Quicken.com account, and you'll be good for another year. On the flip side, if price shopping each year isn't worth the time and effort to you for saving $10-$20, then just set it to auto-renew and you're set with no effort.

Now to your other question...

I agree with you to largely disregard reviews on Amazon for a product like Quicken.

It's simply too complicated a program, that different people use differently, to earn consistently good reviews. Some people love Quicken Mac right now, some people find it "good enough" while hoping for some enhancements, and some people find it can't do that they need it to do. (And some people don't take time to learn how to use it, and thus blame the software for their own operator error!

)

Yes, I think management and the Mac development team are working hard to add features and functionality to improve the program. Since separating from Intuit, they supposedly doubled the size of the Mac development team. To me, that's a positive commitment of resources to improve a product irrespective of whether it is gaining sales or market share. The Quicken Mac product manager states quite openly that they know they aren't yet where everyone wants them to be, and that they're diligently working through the list of feature requests as quickly as they're able -- which, he admits, isn't as fast as we or they would like. They're aware. They're not indifferent. they just don't have all the resources they'd need to make more progress faster.

How's the progress? You can review the release notes for each of the updates since your Quicken 2017 here. Whether you are wowed or not impressed depends on what features you use/need/expect. Again, there's no doubt they are adding things of value. On the other hand, the wishlist of features is long, so some people are understandably frustrated that long-promised features still haven't been implemented.

If you want to try it at some point, make a copy of your Quicken 2017 data file, buy Quicken 2019 and let it import your existing data. Then use both programs in parallel for a few weeks to see how the current version does, or doesn't, suit your needs. (You can have both programs installed, and even running, simultaneously.) If you conclude the current version doesn't improve things enough to be worth the cost based on your usage, you can get your money back within 30 days of purchase and continue using Quicken 2017.

smayer97 · August 2019

A TIP: Currently, if you ever want to qualify for any Quicken promos that are targeted to "new" users, all you have to do is let your subscription lapse for more than 30 days. Then, they consider you a "new" customer.

RickO · August 2019

What version of Quicken Mac are you using and which report are you working with?

jacobs · August 2019

It depends what report you're trying to use. The ones you see on the menu below "New Report" are old-style reports which came from the predecessor to the current Quicken Mac, and they don't have the flexibility of the "New Report" reports that utilize the improved reports engine Quicken has been building for the past couple years.

What report are you trying to use?

gotbits · August 2019

Sorry, I'm using Quicken 4.8.5 with Mac OS 10.12.6

It's specifically New Reports that isn't working. The old canned reports at the bottom of the menu work fine, and the custom reports I've made in the past at the top of the menu work fine.

I took one of my old custom reports and modified it to make the report I want, and it works correctly. Looks like a bug to me.

jacobs · August 2019

Ah, that's the key detail -- you're using Quicken 2017. The New Reports were initially released without drill down capabilities, but drill down was added in version 4.3 back in November 2016. There were some problems with it (I don't remember the details), so they turned the functionality off in a later update. Drilldown capability was later re-added to Quicken Mac, but not until Quicken 2018 version 5.5 in February 2018, as they continued making improvements to the new reports engine.

So it's not so much a bug as a feature which just doesn't exist in Quicken 2017. Sorry to say that to get this capability, you'd need to upgrade to the current version. (Some fixes and features that are introduced in the current version are later dropped into the older Quicken 2017, but my guess is that at this point, they're only fixing critical bugs and not adding more new features to Quicken 2017. They'd likely need to include the entire new reports code to do it, and I just don't see that being likely.)

gotbits · August 2019

Thanks very much for the information. Now I understand.

Is there a non-subscription version of Quicken 2018 for Mac? I don't want the subscription model until Quicken adds the features and works out the bugs that would make it worth the money they're asking for.

jacobs · August 2019

@gotbits No, there is only one version of Quicken after 2017: Quicken Subscription (also referred to as Quicken 2018 or Quicken 2019). This is the new model they moved to in fall 2017 for both development and sales. It helps them by keeping all users on a single version of software instead of having to maintain the past three years of products, and, obviously, smoothing out their cash flow. It helps users because we get ongoing regular updates and the developers can devote more time to fixes and enhancements without having to support multiple annual versions. That said, of course value is in the eye of the beholder: some users are happy at the ongoing improvements and support, while others are angry that features they desire haven't yet been implemented.

The issue you asked about here is a small example: it's an enhancement that some people consider critical and worth the ~$35 they pay for a year of the subscription, while others might view it as a nicety they can live without or something they don't care about at all. We all use Quicken differently, and therefore perceive the current state of the program differently. I personally find Quicken worth the ~$35/year for what it does to keep my personal finances organized, and I appreciate the improvements they're making in the program year over year (although I'm unhappy with some things that are still missing); the improvements in reports from Quicken 2017 to now is pretty considerable in my opinion. But you might feel the features that have been added are relatively inconsequential and you're satisfied using the 2017 version for another year.

gotbits · August 2019

You might be right. Reporting output is one of the things 2017 is really weak in. Lacking drill down now only makes it worse. I would probably want the Deluxe version. So that would be about $45/yr, unless you know of any deals.

2019 Reviews on Amazon are pretty brutal, but I take those with a teaspoon of salt. Do you feel the company is now being proactive at adding long-requested features and squishing bugs? Before Quicken was bought, I'm sure you remember that the Mac version was for years the starving orphan who got a scrap of bread every other week. More of that treatment is what I would object to having to pay for annually.

jacobs · August 2019

Pricing for Quicken varies considerably throughout the year. For people who don't have current subscriptions, the Quicken.com website typically offers discounts of 10% up to 40%. The website drops cookies on your computer, so I've seen it such that I can get two different offers at the same time if I try in two different browsers. Right now, I'm seeing only a 10% discount. My recommendation, if you don't need it urgently, is to wait until you see a discount of at least 25%, and ideally 40%.

Meanwhile, check online sites such as Amazon.com. Amazon's prices also fluctuate quite a bit. What I'm seeing today -- a DVD-ROM version with a one-year subscription for $45 or a download version with a 14-month subscription for $55 -- is not as good a deal as I often see on Amazon. So again, I'd wait and watch.

You should be aware that Quicken always says in the fine print that discounts are for "new" customers only. That means that if you buy directly from Quicken, and allow your account to be set up for auto-renewal, you'll get charged the full price in subsequent years. Even if you see a discounted price on their website, when you log in to purchase, it will detect your existing subscription and the discount will vaporize. However, if you purchase in subsequent years via Amazon or other retailers, Quicken can't prevent you from getting a better price. So if you want to keep your costs as low as possible, the strategy is to shop for the best price you can find in the months before your subscription expires, enter the activation code that comes with your purchase into your Quicken.com account, and you'll be good for another year. On the flip side, if price shopping each year isn't worth the time and effort to you for saving $10-$20, then just set it to auto-renew and you're set with no effort.

Now to your other question...

I agree with you to largely disregard reviews on Amazon for a product like Quicken.

It's simply too complicated a program, that different people use differently, to earn consistently good reviews. Some people love Quicken Mac right now, some people find it "good enough" while hoping for some enhancements, and some people find it can't do that they need it to do. (And some people don't take time to learn how to use it, and thus blame the software for their own operator error!

)

Yes, I think management and the Mac development team are working hard to add features and functionality to improve the program. Since separating from Intuit, they supposedly doubled the size of the Mac development team. To me, that's a positive commitment of resources to improve a product irrespective of whether it is gaining sales or market share. The Quicken Mac product manager states quite openly that they know they aren't yet where everyone wants them to be, and that they're diligently working through the list of feature requests as quickly as they're able -- which, he admits, isn't as fast as we or they would like. They're aware. They're not indifferent. they just don't have all the resources they'd need to make more progress faster.

How's the progress? You can review the release notes for each of the updates since your Quicken 2017 here. Whether you are wowed or not impressed depends on what features you use/need/expect. Again, there's no doubt they are adding things of value. On the other hand, the wishlist of features is long, so some people are understandably frustrated that long-promised features still haven't been implemented.

If you want to try it at some point, make a copy of your Quicken 2017 data file, buy Quicken 2019 and let it import your existing data. Then use both programs in parallel for a few weeks to see how the current version does, or doesn't, suit your needs. (You can have both programs installed, and even running, simultaneously.) If you conclude the current version doesn't improve things enough to be worth the cost based on your usage, you can get your money back within 30 days of purchase and continue using Quicken 2017.

smayer97 · August 2019

A TIP: Currently, if you ever want to qualify for any Quicken promos that are targeted to "new" users, all you have to do is let your subscription lapse for more than 30 days. Then, they consider you a "new" customer.

gotbits · August 2019

@ jacobs, thanks so much for giving me a detailed reply! Very helpful. I'll keep a savvy eye out for the next Quicken deal.

It's actually encouraging that they admit the product isn't where they want it to be. That's much better than *crickets*. I've used Quicken since the 90s and would hate to give it up. If the new version has fixed manual Reconcile, that would be enough for me to upgrade. For 20 years I could reconcile my accounts manually to the penny in Quicken. Something changed, and now even doing manual reconciles, I often have to add mysterious adjustments that are not due to my own error.

@ smayer97, thanks for the tip. I'll keep that in mind.

jacobs · August 2019

gotbits said:

It's actually encouraging that they admit the product isn't where they want it to be.

Now, mind you, this isn't on the company website in big, bold type. They're still trying to sell to as many people as possible, of course, and for many people the current product is good enough. But when we occasionally hear from Marcus, the Quicken Mac product manager, he's a straight shooter and has been upfront about some of the shortcomings or feature needs they are or will be working on. Infrequent though they are, I've found it refreshing and helpful -- and I think his commentary from back before the modern Quicken Mac even existed and they were just working on it is what kept me in the Quicken fold.

In terms of account reconciliation, I can say with pretty strong certainty that the problems you're having have to deal with data in your file and not bugs in the program. There are generally two things that have tripped people up. First, they changed the way reconcile works. In the past, it simply started with your previous month's ending balance and moved forward from there. The problem was that sometimes that ending balance people got to in Quicken wasn't correct, and so people were making adjustments or tweaks to make things work. So what they did was make reconcile follow simple math: it adds up all the transactions in your account since the beginning of time, and that is -- has to be -- your correct balance for reconciliation. Well, that change tripped up a lot of people because there were errors in their accounts from years ago. Perhaps a transaction inadvertently got deleted, or got marked as unreconciled. So the new reconcile approach means that some people needed to either go back to hunt down old problems and fix them, or to make an adjusting entry to fix the discrepancy and move on. Such an adjustment should be a one-time event. but if your balance keeps changing in odd ways, it's possible you have a placeholder transaction in your account -- usually at the beginning of time -- which constantly readjusts its amount to match what your bank is reporting for your balance. Eliminating a variable placeholder with a new, static opening balance often cures that problem once and for all.

Are you having problems reconciling your checking account, or credit card and other accounts, too? If what I've written above doesn't help you identify the problem, then I'd suggest you start a new thread here about what problems you're having with reconciling, and some folks on this site should be able to help you dig into it further and get it resolved.

gotbits · August 2019

Quicken using the opening balance is the culprit, so thanks for telling me how it's thinking.

I'll post to another thread about the reconcile problem. It's a head scratcher.

links in report are dead

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